Latest news with #SenateHealthandHumanServicesCommittee
NBC News
11-07-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Takeaways from Trump's latest interview and how his bill plays in the states: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, Adam Edelman looks at the blue states seeking quick action to adjust their budgets following the passage of President Donald Trump's big domestic policy legislation. Plus, Kristen Welker analyzes the key takeaways from her interview with Trump. — Scott Bland Blue-state leaders weigh new laws to deal with financial fallout from Trump's big bill By Adam Edelman State lawmakers are scrambling to deal with the expected financial fallout from President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with many in blue states demanding special legislative sessions they say are necessary to shore up funding for health care and food assistance programs affected by the new law. Democratic governors in at least five states are weighing such special sessions, and Democratic lawmakers in several more are urging their governors to convene them to address expected funding shortfalls. In Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis' Office of State Planning and Budgeting has projected that the state would receive about $500 million less in revenue yearly — and could see about the same amount in additional costs — because of the new law's impact on Medicaid and food assistance. Democratic state Sen. Iman Jodeh said a special session is 'absolutely necessary' to deal with the state's new financial landscape, predicting that it was 'imminent' that Polis convenes one. 'We have to do it,' said Jodeh, a member of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. 'Our budget just cannot absorb the backfill, the shortfall, the cuts.' Polis spokesperson Shelby Wieman said in email that Polis 'has previously indicated we may need to reconvene the General Assembly to deal with the terrible impacts from the bill — and we are still reviewing the impacts of this new law to evaluate next steps, including a potential special session.' Jodeh said that because of Colorado's unique Taxpayer Bill of Rights — a 1992 measure that effectively limits how much the state can raise taxes — it will be exceedingly difficult for Democrats, despite their control of the governorship and both legislative chambers, to avoid mostly cutting and freezing social programs to address the expected shortfalls. 'We're all incredibly scared about how we can possibly navigate this,' she said. 'What are those programs that we're going to have to freeze or defund or do away with altogether? Those will be the questions that we're going to have to answer during the special session.' Analysis by Kristen Welker I spoke with President Donald Trump yesterday in a wide-ranging 20-minute phone call, where we discussed his approach to tariffs, his response to the devastating floods in Texas, his views of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, and more. One key takeaway from our conversation is that the president signaled he is looking to pivot from policy to politics now that his sweeping tax and spending proposal, which he dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill, has become law. I asked Trump if he plans to hit the road to talk about the measure and he said 'a little bit,' later adding, 'But honestly, it's been received so well I don't think I have to, but a little bit. And certainly before midterms we'll be doing a lot but a little bit.' That focus on next year's midterm elections underscores the tough fight ahead for the GOP as it tries to hold onto its narrow majorities in both chambers. Democrats need to net just three seats to flip the House and four seats to take control of the Senate — a tougher task given the general lean of the states holding Senate races next year. And Democrats plan to campaign on the sweeping tax and spending measure, emphasizing cuts to Medicaid. But the president did not seem overly concerned that his party would lose seats in Congress. 'They said that about 2024 too. They said, 'We're going to win seats,'' Trump said of Democrats. 'They didn't. They said — we're going to do great in the presidency, and I won all seven swing states, won the popular vote by millions, etc. So you know, they always say that. They've lost their way. They've lost their minds, and they've lost their way, not necessarily in that order.' Meanwhile, the president is walking a fine line with his MAGA supporters, who Republicans need to turn out in droves to hold onto control of Congress next year. These voters have more isolationist views of foreign policy, creating some tension when it comes to assistance to Ukraine. Trump made some news on that front yesterday, when he stressed that NATO, not the U.S., would be covering the cost of additional weapons for Ukraine. 'We're sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%,' Trump told me. 'So what we're doing is the weapons that are going out are going to NATO, and then NATO is going to be giving those weapons and NATO is paying for those weapons.' 'We are not paying for any more weapons,' the president later added. The details of that agreement with NATO are still unclear, though the president did tease a 'major statement' on Russia coming on Monday. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart responded to Trump's comments in a statement on Friday. 'Allies continue to work to ensure Ukraine has the support they need to defend themselves against Russia's aggression. This includes urgent efforts to procure key supplies from the United States, including air defence and ammunition,' she said. We'll delve more into all of this on Sunday's 'Meet the Press,' where I'll speak to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, and Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky. ✉️ Mailbag: When do the provisions of Trump's new law go into effect? Thanks to everyone who emailed us! This week's reader question, from Cindy Scruggs, is about how Trump's big domestic policy law will be implemented. 'Knowing that many of the cuts will be put into effect after the 2026 elections, what parts of the bill or associated fallout (if any) will occur before the midterms?' One of our Congress experts, senior national political reporter Sahil Kapur, provided an answer: This is an important and somewhat complicated question. The short answer is that Republicans backloaded the most significant cuts under Medicaid, SNAP and the Affordable Care Act until after the 2026 election. That was a deliberate effort to manage political pain — hard-right Republicans wanted the Medicaid work requirements to take effect right away, but the party reached a deal to trigger them on the last day of 2026, just weeks after the midterms. Some GOP lawmakers have told us they believe (or hope) this will insulate them in the 2026 elections. Beyond that, many of the law's cutbacks are phased in over the coming decade. As KFF health policy expert Larry Levitt put it to me, 'There's not going to be a day where we wake up and there are suddenly millions more people without health insurance.' That said, some effects will still be felt beforehand. There are already reports of at least one hospital in Nebraska shutting down, citing the 'anticipated federal budget cuts to Medicaid,' a huge source of funding for hospitals. Sometimes, anticipation of an unpopular law taking effect can make for effective politicking: Republicans made Democrats paid a heavy political price in the 2010 midterms for the then-unpopular Affordable Care Act, even though it hadn't kicked in yet. In 2018, vast swaths of voters barely felt the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which Trump sold as the greatest tax cut in history, and House Democrats won 40 seats in that year's midterm election. Finally, the impacts of Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' will certainly be felt by the 2028 presidential election, and if this law takes effect as designed, Democrats are sure to make that an issue.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
State Legislature Acts To ‘Make Texas Healthy Again'
Under Senate Bill 25, which awaits Gov. Greg Abbott's signature, Texas could become one of the first states to mandate warning labels on foods containing artificial dyes and specific chemicals. The bill, dubbed the Make Texas Healthy Again Act, requires labels on products containing one or more of some 40-plus additives, such as Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and titanium dioxide. The label would state: 'WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.' The warning label must be prominent, readable, and would apply to products packaged after January 1, 2027. A loophole allows producers using existing packaging through 2036 to avoid the requirement. The bill also invalidates state labeling rules if federal regulations supersede them. 'Texas can really lead here. … These bills represent a Texas way that prioritizes transparency, prioritizes good education and prioritizes incentive change,' Calley Means, a top adviser to U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said during a Senate Health and Human Services Committee hearing. Beyond labeling, SB 25 increases physical activity requirements for middle school students from four to six semesters of 30-minute daily sessions and mandates nutrition education for undergraduates, developed by a seven-member Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee appointed by the governor by December 31, 2025. The committee would include experts in metabolic health, a licensed physician, a Texas Department of Agriculture representative, and others. In addition, doctors and nurses must complete continuing education on nutrition to maintain their licenses. 'This sweeping legislation is not just another bill. It's a call to action — one that so many Texans and Americans are realizing — that something is wrong and that something needs to change in our food industry and in our sedentary lifestyle,' Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), the bill's sponsor, told The Texas Tribune. The bill garnered bipartisan support, with 10 Senate Democrats and three House Democrats sponsoring or co-sponsoring. 'This is about the MAHA parents and the crunchy granola parents coming together to say, 'We are sick and tired of being sick and tired,'' said Rep. Lacey Hull (R-Houston) before the House passed the bill on May 25. Food industry groups, including Walmart, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, General Mills, and Frito-Lay, opposed the labeling, warning in a letter that it 'could destabilize local and regional economies.' Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio) expressed concern that 'the cost of food will continue to rise,' the Tribune reported. Kolkhorst countered in February that 'the market will adjust.' Supporters, like the Episcopal Health Foundation, see health benefits. 'The amount of money and time we're spending treating diabetes as opposed to preventing it is huge, especially in Texas,' said Brian Sasser, the foundation's chief communications officer, per the Tribune. Andy Keller of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute added, 'In a world that pretends the brain is not part of the body, this bill will put tools in the hands of children, parents and teachers to begin truly addressing emotional health and wellbeing.' The bill aligns with federal Make America Healthy Again initiatives, with Kolkhorst noting Kennedy's personal call urging its passage. 'As in so many cases, we're not waiting on Washington,' said Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) in February. 'Texas will act.'
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oklahoma governor apologizes for disparaging remarks, celebrates session victories
Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks at a media briefing March 5 at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt said Wednesday he had apologized to a state senator after making disparaging remarks about him and his wife last week. Stitt also defended his choice for interim commissioner of the state mental health department, despite his lack of experience in mental health. Stitt drew the ire of lawmakers Thursday as they worked late into the night and into the early hours of Friday morning to overturn over 40 of his vetoes. He posted a video Thursday afternoon calling on voters to closely watch how lawmakers vote on veto overrides and said the bills he had vetoed were bad for Oklahoma. Later in the evening as lawmakers prepared a measure to fire mental health Commissioner Allie Friesen, the governor, who had appointed and ardently supported Friesen throughout the agency's financial disarray, put out a statement that drew a senator's wife into the mix. Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Josh West, R-Grove, were the authors of the measure to fire Friesen. It said the Legislature had 'lost confidence' in her ability to lead the state agency. Stitt called Friesen's firing a 'politically motivated witch hunt' and questioned if Rosino and West had something to gain by firing her. 'Josh West and Paul Rosino need to first answer what they stand to gain from Allie Friesen being removed,' he said in his Thursday statement. 'What are they trying to keep covered up? What conflicts of interest are they trying to hide? Is Senator Rosino trying to help his wife avoid responsibility for her role in the finance department there? Oklahomans deserve answers.' Rosino, who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and co-chairs a select committee investigating the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services' finances, said Thursday his wife works as a 'low level, part-time' employee at the agency. Stitt's statement, compounded with his video calling on Oklahomans to vote out lawmakers who voted to overturn his vetoes, led to dozens of lawmakers publicly calling Stitt out Thursday night. House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said Friday morning the video Stitt had posted frustrated lawmakers and disrupted 'good faith' negotiations between the Legislature and the Governor's Office. He also said it was 'beneath the dignity of his office' to attack a senator's wife. Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said Friday he was disappointed by the governor's comments. 'You know, we all say things sometimes that we wish we could take back. But this wasn't something that was said out of context,' Paxton said Friday. 'It was something written down and approved that was put out. And in my nine years here, I've seen lots of things where there's lots of criticism of members. I've never seen something like that on a member's spouse.' When discussing the measure to fire Friesen in the Senate, senators were unified in speaking against Stitt's comments – all but one of the senators who rose to debate the measure spoke against the statement. The Senate voted 43-1 to fire Friesen and the House voted 81-5. But Wednesday afternoon, Stitt apologized and said 'it was my fault' for letting emotions run high. 'I do regret that. I called and apologized to him and his wife,' Stitt said. 'I let the emotions get the better of me and I should not have done that. … I'm just trying to point out any kind of conflict. We have to make sure that, you know, if you're in the pharmaceutical business, you shouldn't be running pharmaceutical bills. If you're in this industry, you shouldn't be running this bill.' Rosino could not be reached for comment, but a Senate spokesperson confirmed he and his wife had accepted Stitt's apology. The Republican governor also defended Rear Admiral Gregory Slavonic as his choice to temporarily fill Friesen's position as head of the mental health department. Slavonic has a long history working in government and previously ran the Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs, but has no experience in mental health. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'He's not a mental health expert, he's more of a business person,' Stitt said Wednesday. 'He's somebody that I think can do the job.' The agency needed supplemental funding from the Legislature for this budget year and has been embroiled in investigations and audits following reports of financial disarray, including being unable to make payroll. Stitt took a victory lap as he celebrated successes from the legislative session. He said Oklahoma is now on the path to eliminating the income tax after the Legislature passed a .25% income tax cut, with further cuts when revenue reaches specified levels. Stitt also applauded legislation he said eliminated various fines, fees and court costs for people recently released from incarceration, a priority he mentioned during his State of the State address at the beginning of session. Expanding apprenticeship and internship programs in Oklahoma was another victory Stitt brought up Wednesday. 'This was an amazing session,' he said. 'I thought it was one of my best sessions we've ever had in seven years.' Reporter Ylleana Berryhill contributed to this report. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill to study Texas psychiatric bed capacity falls short
AUSTIN (KXAN) – Legislation that would have prompted a widespread study of Texas' current and future psychiatric facility capacity fell short of passage this year. State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, filed the bill for the second time. The state needs to invest in the study to give decision-makers 'the ability to look at all of our options out into the future for meeting this demand,' she told the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in early April. In a social media post Tuesday, Eckhardt described the push for the psychiatric bed study as 'progress won' and the session's end as a time to 'reflect on what we weren't able to accomplish and the work that remains to be done.' KXAN has reported for years on backlogs at state mental hospitals — an issue that has caused extended wait times for people charged with crimes and found incompetent to stand trial. Those individuals are often stuck in jail, with their cases paused for months or longer until they can be moved to a state hospital for treatment. Eckhardt's study would have examined the capacity of acute inpatient psychiatric treatment, including beds for adolescents, voluntarily committed patients, maximum-security units and people in the criminal justice system — who use the largest share — according to a bill analysis. Explore: KXAN's Catalyst project – Locked in Limbo A fiscal note attached to the bill estimated the study would have cost $1.5 million. No one at an April 8 Senate committee hearing on the bill registered against it, but Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, voiced his concern. The state should wait and watch for state hospital improvements that are yet to come, Perry said, from investments that were approved last in 2023. At least 54 died since 2018 waiting for state hospital opening, senator calls for more tracking 'What we did last session was predicated on a lot of study, so we're a little early to be here talking about all these crisis points and what we haven't got,' Perry said. 'We got it in the pipeline.' Eckhardt's bill analysis notes the average number of patients using Texas inpatient beds at mental health facilities increased 12% between 2023 and 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Panel advances bill banning delivery of abortion-inducing drugs in Oklahoma
Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, sits at his desk on the Senate floor during the chamber's organizational day on Jan. 7, 2025. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – A Senate panel on Monday advanced a measure to prevent the use of popular abortion-inducing drugs, including mifepristone. House Bill 1168 makes it a felony to intentionally deliver abortion-inducing drugs in the state. 'We are stopping the pill from the abortion side of this just because of the damage it does to an unborn person, primarily, but also because of the damage it does to women and mothers,' said Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, the Senate author of the measure. Abortion in Oklahoma is already illegal, except to save the life of the mother. Abortion-inducing drugs, like RU486, better known as mifepristone, are not the same as the morning after pill. Abortion-inducing drugs end a pregnancy while the morning-after pill prevents pregnancy. 'RU486 has one intent and that intent is to murder an unborn child,' Bullard said. Bullard said the measure would also prevent it from being shipped into Oklahoma through major carriers. The measure would make it a felony with a fine not to exceed $100,000 or up to 10 years in prison or both. 'I simply cannot believe that we are continuing to try and create new felonies for substances that are legal, that do provide valid medical relief to individuals here in our state,' said Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City. Hicks said she was appalled that the state continues to push the envelope when mothers are going into sepsis and experiencing fatal conditions before they can get medical intervention. 'This is the only medical procedure in the world that the success of the procedure depends on the death of the patient,' Bullard said. The measure passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee by a vote of 7-3. It is available for consideration in the Senate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
